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Pennsylvania Police Academy Requirements/ PA Police Officer Qualifications

If you’re not in excellent shape before you attend the PA police training academy, you won’t make it to graduation. That’s why you shouldn’t think about enrolling if you are overweight or in poor physical fitness shape. I would wait until you drop the weight and improve your overall fitness level before enrolling. If you’re planning on paying your way into the PA basic academy its more critical to be in great shape because you don’t want to pay all that money and end up being sent home for failing the fitness test.

Here are the police academy requirements in Pennsylvania:

• Age Requirement – Applicants must be at least 20 years of age on or before the date the application is completed. Applicants must be 21 years of age and cannot have reached their 40th birthday prior to or on the date of appointment as a State Police Cadet.

• Residency Requirement – Applicants must be a resident of Pennsylvania at the time of appointment. Applicants must also possess a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license upon appointment as a State Police Cadet.

• Educational Requirement – Applicants must possess a high school diploma or a G.E.D. Certificate plus an Associate’s Degree or 60 semester credit hours in an accredited institution of higher education at the time of application. Only one waiver per candidate, as follows, is allowed:

60 semester credit hours waived for those applicants with two full years as a full-time police officer as certified by the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC).

30 semester credit hours waived for those applicants with two full years of any law enforcement experience that encompasses the powers of arrest under State or Federal law, e.g., Liquor Enforcement Officer, Corrections Officer, Probation and Parole Officers, Fish and Game Commission Officers. Determination of relevant law enforcement experience to be made by the Pennsylvania State Police on a case-by-case basis.

30 semester credit hours waived for those applicants with at least two years of full active military duty with an Honorable Discharge or who have completed Officer Candidate School and have no term of obligation.

15 semester credit hours waived for those applicants who have successfully completed Act 120 training, as certified by the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC).

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the PA  law enforcement training academy, contact the approved training centers near you below:

ALLEGHENY CO POLICE TRAINING ACADEMY
700 W Ridge Dr
Allison Park, Pennsylvania 15101
Phone: 412-935-3743
Fax: 412-935-6522

ALLENTOWN PD ACADEMY
2110 Park Dr
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18103
Phone: 610-437-7744
Fax: 610-437-8724

DELAWARE CO COMMUNITY COLLEGE-TRAINING ACADEMY
Malin & James Rd
Broomall, Pennsylvania 19008
Phone: 610-359-7386
Fax: 610-359-4155

DEPUTY SHERIFFS EDUCATION & TRAINING BOARD
Exec Dir Pa Comm Crime & Del
PO Box 1167
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17108
Phone: 717-787-2040
Fax: 717-783-7713

GREATER JOHNSTOWN CAREER & TECH CENTER/POLICE ACADEMY
445 Schoolhouse Rd
Johnstown, Pennsylvania 15904
Phone: 814-269-3874
Fax: 814-269-4586

HOLY FAMILY COLLEGE-TRAINING ACADEMY
Frankford & Grant Aves
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19136
Phone: 215-637-7700
Fax: 215-824-2438

INDIANA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA-TRAINING ACADEMY
Rear Maple St R & P Bldg
Indiana, Pennsylvania 15705
Phone: 412-357-4054
Fax: 412-357-7595

MANSFIELD UNIVERSITY MUNICIPAL POLICE TRAINING ACADEMY
Doane Center Rm 217
Mansfield, Pennsylvania 16933
Phone: 717-662-4866
Fax: 717-662-4120

MERCYHURST COLLEGE-MUNICIPAL POLICE TRAINING ACADEMY
16 W Division St
North East, Pennsylvania 16428
Phone: 814-725-6121
Fax: 814-725-6112

MONTGOMERY COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE-TRAINING ACADEMY
340 Dekalb Pike
Blue Bell, Pennsylvania 19422
Phone: 215-641-6428
Fax: 215-653-0585

MUNICIPAL POLICE OFFICERS EDUCATION & TRAINING COMMISSION
75 E Derry Rd
Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033
Phone: 717-533-5987

PENNSYLVANIA LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING SERVICES
32 Maffett St
Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania 18702
Phone: 717-829-1642
Fax: 717-821-5793

PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE TRAINING ACADEMY
175 E Hershey Park Dr
Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033
Phone: 717-533-9111
Fax: 717-772-0030

PHILADELPHIA POLICE ACADEMY
8501 State Road
Philadelphia, PA 19136
Phone: 215-685-8080
Fax: 215-685-8780

PITTSBURGH POLICE TRAINING ACADEMY
Washington Blvd At Negley Run
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15206
Phone: 412-665-3601
Fax: 412-665-3657

READING POLICE ACADEMY
815 Washington St
Reading, Pennsylvania 19601
Phone: 610-655-6332
Fax: 610-655-6393

STATE POLICE TRAINING CENTER NORTHWEST
195 Valley View Dr
Meadville, Pennsylvania 16335
Phone: 814-332-6888
Fax: 814-332-6417

STATE POLICE TRAINING CENTER SOUTHEAST
2047 Bridge Rd
Schwenksville, Pennsylvania 19473
Phone: 610-584-8633
Fax: 610-584-9510

STATE POLICE TRAINING CENTER SOUTHWEST
2900 Seminary Dr
Greensburg, Pennsylvania 15601
Phone: 412-832-5250